


Isn't It Weird?

by KatieComma



Series: Mac + Jack + Nick [4]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, I know right?!, James is an asshole, Multi, Polyamory, Some innuendo, but no actual smut, of course he is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-05 20:17:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21214463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatieComma/pseuds/KatieComma
Summary: After their unconventional relationship comes out in the open, Mac, Jack and Nick get asked about it.Or: 6 conversations with friends, and one conversation with each other.BONUS CHAPTERS BEING ADDED:1. Riley and Mac and the "Shovel Talk"





	1. Mac and Bozer

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you N1ghtshade and BlackVultures for your advice on parts of this!
> 
> Self beta'ed though. Except the Riley chapter - which got a brief beta from N1ghtshade.

“Ok, but… isn’t it weird?” Bozer asked.

Mac looked up at the terrible movie they were watching. It had been a while since they’d done a movie night, so he’d kicked Jack and Nick out for the night and Mac and Bozer were having a proper B-Movie Marathon.

“That’s kinda the point Boze,” Mac replied, waving his beer bottle toward the screen, “it’s supposed to be weird. That’s the whole purpose of a good B-Movie. To be a little off the beaten track.”

“I’m not talkin’ about the movie Mac,” Bozer said, as though it should have been obvious. He turned toward Mac on the couch. “I’m talkin’ about you… and Jack… and Nick… all together. One big happy couple.”

Mac just smiled and shook his head, sipping his beer and turning back toward the movie.

Ever since the team had found out about their… unconventional relationship, everyone had been pretty accepting. But there was something hanging in the air. Like a question was always waiting to be asked. And here it was.

“Alright Boze,” Mac replied, grabbing the remote and pausing the movie. “Out with it man. Anything you want to ask…” Mac paused and narrowed his eyes. “Anything within reason.”

Bozer slid a little closer as though they weren’t totally alone in the house. They definitely were. Jack and Nick would be gone for hours. They’d decided on the gun range, since it was just the two of them, and Mac never wanted to go out and shoot guns for obvious reasons.

And then Bozer just looked at him, dumbfounded, like all of his questions had gone out of his head.

Mac made an expectant face.

“I guess I just don’t know where to start dude,” Bozer replied. “I mean… just… isn’t it weird?”

“It’s not weird at all,” Mac replied. “Why would it be weird?”

“I mean… it’s just…” Bozer trailed off as though Mac would know what he was asking.

And then Mac decided that if he just talked about it, maybe it would alleviate some of the awkwardness that Bozer was feeling.

“It’s not weird at all Boze,” Mac said, looking around the place. There were touches of Nick and Jack everywhere. Pictures they’d hung on the wall together, including Jack’s Telly Savalas painting; Nick’s science books strewn across the coffee table. It was so comfortable and made the house feel so much warmer than it ever had before. “You know what? I thought it was going to be weird too. At first…”

Bozer just looked interested and waited for Mac to keep talking.

“Me and Jack have been together for so long,” Mac said. “I mean, I know we weren’t _together_ together our whole relationship, but we’ve known each other a long time. It made me nervous… the idea of bringing in somebody else. Somebody that Jack had known before. That maybe their connection would be stronger, and that it would split us up or something.”

It was strange, voicing those concerns aloud. He’d never even admitted as much to Jack. They’d just jumped into the thing like they jumped into everything: with a vague idea of how things would turn out, but pretty blind all things considered.

“So?” Bozer asked, leaning toward Mac as though riveted by the story. “Why’d you do it then?”

Mac doesn’t have a good answer to that. “You know what Boze? I have no idea.” He laughed. “I just had… a feeling I guess. It’s like anytime you fall in love, you know? You just know.”

Bozer nodded knowingly. “I get that,” he said. “I knew the very second I saw Leanna that it was fate or something man.”

“That’s how I felt the first time I met Nick,” Mac replied. He did not tell Bozer that the first time they met he thought they were just having a one-night threesome together. But it wasn’t a lie either; the first time he’d met Nick was like pure electricity.

And then he thought about all the little moments since. Not the sexy moments, because that wasn't something he wanted to think about sitting next to Bozer, but the tender moments they’d shared. The way Nick’s fingers felt in his hair when they were laying on the couch watching TV together. Laying between Jack and Nick in bed and feeling warmth from both sides as he drifted to sleep. Nick asking his opinion on a new experiment he wanted to try. Jack teaching them both better combat maneuvers. Sitting at breakfast together in the kitchen and laughing at a story Nick told. All these little moments that came together to make a wonderful life.

“Well you look real happy man,” Bozer conceded, breaking Mac out of his reverie. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with finding more people to love I suppose.”

Mac just nodded, feeling suddenly sentimental. He handed the remote to Bozer, who started the movie back up.

It was a great movie marathon, but after all that talk, Mac couldn’t deny he was excited to see his boys when they got home.


	2. Nick and Jill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since Nick's relationship with Mac and Jack came out in the open, things have been chilly with Jill.
> 
> They finally get a moment alone to talk about it.

Nick held Jill’s chair for her at the super fancy restaurant they’d opted for.

“This is great!” Jill whispered, biting her lower lip and glancing around at the Boston elite dining around them. Nick could tell she felt like she didn’t belong.

“See, I told you to bring something fancy to wear,” he said. “Thought it might be nice to go out on the town.”

Jill smiled and blushed, sucking on her bottom lip the way she did when she was nervous. “Such a great idea, Nick,” she said earnestly. “Really. Thank you. I never… do stuff like this.”

Neither of them had wanted to stay in their hotel room all night watching cable and eating from the minibar, not when they had the opportunity for some good company and a nice meal.

“Man, it was nice to be around my people again,” Nick sighed. “I haven’t been to one of these Forensic Conferences in ages.”

“This is my first time ever,” Jill said, smiling brightly. He could tell by the sparkle in her eye that there were a million things she wanted to discuss. But there was still something holding her back. It wasn’t like Jill to keep her enthusiasm all bottled up. She’d been acting that way for a while. Since the truth about his relationship with Jack and Mac had come out in the open if he was honest with himself.

The waiter approached and took their orders, bringing them both glasses of champagne at Nick’s insistence.

Once the waiter was gone, Nick held up his glass. “To the two best Forensic Techs at the Phoenix Foundation,” he said, puffing his chest out.

Jill sat up a little taller at the compliment, but didn’t blush this time, and clinked his glass. “Damn right,” she said before taking a sip of the sweet bubbly stuff.

“How cool was it to meet Frankie at the conference?” Jill asked, still talking quietly as though they were conspiring something. “I mean, I was sorta around when the whole… faking her death thing happened. But I’ve never really talked to her.”

“Now that I’ve met her I’m gonna have to give Mac even more of a hard time for lettin’ that slip through his fingers,” Nick joked. “Not that it worked out badly for me.” It wasn’t subtle. But he really needed to feel this out. If she had a serious problem with their relationship, then he couldn’t stay friends with her; colleagues, no problem, but his friends needed to be ok with his lifestyle; to be happy for him.

Jill was quiet suddenly, looking down at the empty plate in front of her.

“Something wrong?” Nick asked, trying not to sound bitter or disappointed, and failing miserably at both.

Jill looked up from her plate, eyes wide. “Oh god Nick, no! Nothing’s wrong,” she’d read his apprehension right, just like a true friend. “I’m just… I mean… I was…”

“Come on Jill, out with it,” he said. “Best we clear the air about all this. Makes the most sense to do it here. Nobody else around. Talk as free as you like.”

Hurt was the last thing he expected to see in her eyes. “It’s selfish, but… you lied to me Nick. And it sucked. Like, a lot.” She continued, her cheeks a little red: “I thought we were friends and I still think we’re friends and I just…”

The waiter placed their appetizers in front of them, interrupting her train of thought.

As Jill tentatively reached for her fork, Nick stretched his hand across the table and took the cool tips of her fingers in his. “We _are_ friends Jill,” he said softly. “I’d really still like us to be good friends. I mean, you’re damn near the only one I’ve got in LA so far, and I’d sure as hell like to keep you.”

Jill smiled and squeezed his fingers before taking her fork and diving into her food.

“You understand why though, I hope?” Nick asked. “Why I lied?”

Jill nodded. “I get it.”

“I’m really sorry,” he said. “I felt bad about it all the time. Lyin’ to you. The more we became friends, the worse I felt. You got no idea how relieved I was when it all came out.”

“I bet,” she replied, finally seeming relaxed.

“The stupidest part is: the lyin’ was my idea to begin with,” he said with a huff. He’d been such an idiot. But he’d been afraid.

“I can totally understand though,” Jill replied through a mouthful of shrimp. “It’s not the most conventional situation. It’s hard to know how people are going to… respond to it.”

“But you’re… it doesn’t bother you, right?” Nick asked, still so self conscious about the whole thing, the voice of his right wing father chattering in the back of his head about impropriety.

“Oh not at all,” she said, her face open and honest. She wasn’t hiding anything. “I actually find it really fascinating.”

“Fascinating?” Nick asked, intrigued.

“Well, you guys are all kinda… quirky,” she said. “Isn’t it weird all living together?”

“I thought it might be,” Nick admitted. “But it’s kinda neat. Everything just… works.”

“Everything?” She asked lewdly, raising an eyebrow and grinning. He loved when Jill relaxed enough to be herself, she was so nervous most of the time; like she never felt like she deserved to be where she was.

“That especially,” Nick answered with a wink, feeling his cheeks go pink before he turned his concentration on his food again.

And then things fell back into their rhythm. The only thing about it all that had bothered Jill were the lies, and now that it was out in the open it was like nothing had changed. He had his Jill back.


	3. Jack and Matty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who are we kidding? Matty knew all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I had the most fun with this one.

Matty just stared at him.

Jack stared right back.

But he could never hope to win a staring contest with Matty Webber, and he blinked first, sagging back into the leather chair in the war room.

“Damnit Matty!” He said, closing his eyes and massaging them. “Alright, you win! Ask your damn questions.”

When she didn’t say anything, Jack opened his eyes again. She still stood right in front of him, eyebrows raised, looking expectant. If he had to put Vegas money down, he’d bet she still hadn’t blinked.

She was asking a question, without really asking. Matty was so damn good at interrogation she knew she didn’t have to say anything and Jack would just spill the beans.

“Oh come off it Matty,” he said, sitting up a little, “you knew the whole time anyway, why the hell are you so mad?” The question of the true relationship between Jack, Mac, and Nick had come into the open only a few days before. And now that debrief was over, they were having this much more private debrief, just the two of them.

“Of course I knew Jack! I’m not an idiot!” She said, smacking his knee.

“Oh come on now,” he countered, “we were pretty careful. And we are super secret badass spies after all. Mac slipped up didn’t he? Or Nicky? Cause you know, I guess Nicky aint’ really a spy-”

“Pick one. And add yourself to the list Jack,” Matty scolded. “Super spies or not, some of the looks you guys gave each other were almost pornographic. Do you know how hard it is to hide sexual attraction when you’re starting a relationship with someone?”

“So, you’re saying it’s ok that you found us out? Or, you’re disappointed? I’m confused as to exactly why I’m here,” Jack admitted.

“You’re here, Jack, because I don’t want anybody in my organization lying to me. Or, more accurately, trying to lie to me,” she said. “You got that?”

“Yes ma’am,” Jack said, adding a dash of his best southern charm.

“You know you didn’t need to lie,” she said, her big mean Director persona slipping a little.

Jack sighed. “Nicky was nervous about the whole thing, didn’t want to make a bad first impression,” he said, relaxing back into the chair again.

“Well you should have told _me_ at least,” Matty said. “So long as it makes you happy Jack.” There was a question there, like she wasn’t exactly sure.

Jack started thinking about Mac and Nick. The way they smiled and laughed together. How Nick didn’t hide his smile from Mac, the way he did from strangers. How good a hug felt when it came from two people instead of just one, like being absolutely surrounded in love. He felt sentimental suddenly, his throat closing up. So he just nodded in answer to Matty’s question.

“It’s a bit weird though, right?” Matty asked earnestly, leaning casually against the coffee table.

“What?” Jack suddenly felt defensive, and wondered if maybe Nick hadn’t been right to be worried.

“Well, I mean, living with one crazy scientist was giving you a headache on a regular basis, and now you live with two,” she said with a grin. “You’re gonna tell me there’s not some really weird stuff in your house?”

Jack breathed out and let the tension he’d built go with it before leaning forward, elbows on his knees. “You’ve got no idea Matty,” he said, “two geniuses who like to blow stuff up together is not always my favourite combination.” And then he launched into one of the latest stories of Nick and Mac’s experiments. Matty was in stitches in no time, almost rolling on the floor.


	4. Nick and Sara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara comes to visit and questions Nick about his new relationship and leaving Vegas.

Nick took Sara for coffee at some little place that stayed open late. Bars were out; didn’t want to rekindle any of her old habits. So, coffee instead. It was late, and it almost felt like they were back in Vegas, cooling down after a shift.

“This place is great,” Sara said as they took a seat in one of the brightly lit booths. “It reminds me of Frank’s.”

Nick nodded, remembering old times with friends long gone. “Yeah,” he replied, “it’s one of the reasons I like it so much. Plus: good coffee, and they stay open late.”

“I thought you were doing regular hours now at this new place?” She asked. “What do you need an all hours coffee shop for?”

The waitress came up, flipped their cups without a word and filled them to the top with steaming hot coffee before she dropped two menus and walked back to the counter.

“Yeah, my hours are regular now, but I did nights for so long…” Nick trailed off. He knew Sara would get it.

“Me too,” she said softly, while she fixed her coffee. The spoon clinked loudly against the porcelain when she stirred it. “When it’s clear, and warm enough, I sit up on deck and watch the stars. I just can’t sleep.”

Nick smiled, thinking about Sara drifting on a boat in calm seas and star watching. 

It was nice to have old friends. People who understood. “I’ll get used to it. But instead of keeping everybody up, when I’m really restless, I come here.”

“Everybody?” Sara quirked an eyebrow and sipped from her cup with a grin. “If I had _one_ boyfriend that looked like either of yours I’d be up all night for other reasons.”

Nick barked an awkward laugh and blushed furiously. It was nice to have someone to talk about it with who didn’t judge, who didn’t pry, who just talked about it like it was normal. That didn’t mean Nick’s old fashioned upbringing wasn’t going to make him blush a little.

“Man this coffee’s good,” Sara said, pouring a little more cream into hers and stirring it again. The hollow sound of spoon on cup echoed through the empty diner. “It’s gotta be a bit weird though, right?” She asked, narrowing her eyes at him, her gap toothed smile on full display. Man he missed her; her cleverness, and her absolute willingness to bring up any subject as long as her curiosity was sufficiently peaked.

“You’re gonna have to be a bit more specific Sara,” Nick replied with a grin, taking a sip from his own cup.

Never one to be shy, Sara plowed on ahead. “I just mean, sometimes I have a hard enough time keeping one person satisfied,” she said, “let alone two people putting expectations on me.”

Nick shook his head. “Well, setting aside any of the sexual innuendo you just threw into that sentence,” he said, “it’s kinda easier.”

“How so?”

“Well, if you think about it, when it comes to expectations and all that stuff, it’s not just on me,” he said, “I’ve got two other sets of shoulders to help me carry anything.”

“Ok, but, you’re telling me that you guys all agree and get along all the time?”

Nick threw his head back and laughed out loud. “Of course we don’t, when has anyone in any relationship ever agreed all the time?”

“Fair point,” she said with that wry little grin that creeped up one side of her face. And then her face went serious. “I would just be… scared.” That was a hard one for her to admit.

“Oh I was scared as hell,” Nick said, leaning forward on the table. “Walked away from Vegas, from my career there. I’m still in Forensics, but it’s different, I’m not working in the field all the time and I miss that. Moved to a new city. Jumped in blind all on a hunch after one night.” He’d never admitted that part to anyone. When Greg and Catherine had asked about the sudden change, he’d told them he’d been talking with Jack for months, rekindling things. Lied to them. He’d told so many lies all because of his fears. And it felt good to feel comfortable and confidant enough to come clean with someone. First Jill, now Sara; slowly he was opening up to the people around him again.

“One night?” Sara’s eyebrows rose towards her hairline.

“Oh yeah, that one’s on the down low,” he said with a chuckle.

“One night?” She repeated, her smile fading to disbelief.

“I ain’t gonna get into the details. What happens in Vegas, and all that,” Nick smiled, feeling the blush rise back to his cheeks, “but yeah. We all spent a night together and everything just clicked into place. There was this opportunity at their think tank. And it was just like…”

“Everything was meant to be,” she finished for him.

Nick nodded.

“Well, you look really happy,” she said genuinely. “You look great Nick.”

“I am really happy,” he replied, smiling to himself and thinking about Jack and Mac suddenly. And just how lucky he was that he’d found not one, but two people to love him.

“Now, those details though,” Sara said, her grin back. “I would be very curious about those details.”

Nick’s face was so hot he thought he might combust. “Maybe another time,” he skirted with a chuckle, “but that’s enough about me. Come on. You’ve been sailing the world with Griss. Tell me all about it.”

Sara took a big breath and went off like a firework. Stories about things they’d seen and places they’d gone to, and just how in love they both still were. How things were easier away from Vegas, bad memories left behind.

Nick just soaked it in, feeling like they were back at Frank’s in Vegas again, if only for a few hours. He even swore he could feel the rest of the gang gathered around on all sides: Greg chewing his straw, Catherine’s laughter bubbling around them, and Warrick sitting so still the way he always had, listening intently to everyone.

Those times were gone, and his life was amazing, but it was nice to pretend for a little while. And he loved Sara for giving him that.


	5. Jack and Riley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riley ambushes Jack with some questions on their way back from an op.

Riley and Jack sat across the aisle from each other on the Phoenix private jet.

The mission had sucked. Jack still had sand… well… everywhere. His skin felt like dried out sandpaper, they'd gotten entirely too close to Cairo for his comfort, and he just wanted to get home. But no matter how bad it had been, Riley was safe and they were headed stateside and that was all that mattered.

Jack’s eyes were just starting to drift closed, his body so ready for a nice long deep sleep, when Riley spoke softly.

“Jack, are you happy?”

He tried not to let his eyes snap open and show his shock at the question. She’d waited until the moment before he fell asleep, no doubt strategically; her interrogation training was really paying off. He’d have been proud if he wasn’t the target.

“Is anyone ever happy when sand is creeping into every nook and cranny?” He asked with a sigh. “I ain’t had this much sand in my underwear since the sandbox.”

“Ok, absolutely not what I mean,” Riley said. “Please stop talking about your nooks and crannies. I didn’t mean this very second. I meant in general, in life. Are you happy?”

Jack didn’t even have to force the lazy grin that crossed his face; it came to him naturally when he thought about Mac and Nick waiting back home for him. Probably waiting to pick him up at the airport, or at Phoenix. Ready to pull him into a hug that would surround him on all sides and make him forget he’d ever been cold. Even make him forget the sand in his boxers.

“I’m really happy Riley,” he promised.

“I just… want to make sure that…” She trailed off like she was afraid to offend someone. Made sense: she liked Mac and Nick and probably didn’t want to speak ill of them, even if they weren’t around.

“It’s really good Riley,” Jack said. “Nobody’s gonna get hurt. Promise.”

Riley still looked concerned. “You’re always looking out for everyone else Jack,” she said, “sometimes you don’t watch your own six.” Look at that, she was even using combat terms to describe Jack’s current life-state.

“There’s plenty of people watchin’ my six,” he replied with a wink.

“Gross,” she said with a laugh. “That’s not what I meant.”

Jack sobered again. “I know what you meant Riles. And what are you even talkin’ about? I got you watchin’ my back always. Right?”

She smiled, but it was still nervous and worried. “You got that right.”

“So, what do I got to worry about?” He asked.

“Just be careful Jack,” she said. “I can’t be there all the time.”

“I should hope not,” he laughed.

“Ok, seriously,” she laughed, “stop!”

“You’re the one pokin’ and prodin’ here,” he replied. “That’s your own damn fault.”

Riley laughed again and held her hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright,” she said. “So long as you’re sure that everything’s good.”

“Solid gold honey,” he said with a nod.

“Alright, but I’m still giving Nick the shovel talk,” she said firmly.

“Oh come on, I’m not some sixteen year old-”

“It’s only fair,” she interrupted. “Mac got the talk, Nick gets the talk.”

Jack sat up in his seat. “Mac got the talk?” He asked. “He never told me that.”

“That’s cause I’m scary, Jack,” Riley said with a smile before she turned over and promptly fell asleep.


	6. Mac and James

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mac meets his dad for one of their lunch dates.
> 
> James is an asshole. Surprise surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am FULLY aware that my timeline in this AU is super wonky... cause the lunch dates are very much a S3 thing... but I messed with everything... so who knows when James came out of the oversight closet in this AU... anyway... pay no attention to trying to fit this ANYWHERE into canon. My bad!

Their first lunch afterward was awkward to say the very least.

Mac sat across from his father in the diner, their plates still overflowing with fries they hadn’t touched that were getting cold.

“But you were so happy with Jack,” James argued. And that must have been hard for him, because coming to terms with Mac and Jack being in a relationship had been hard enough. And now they’d added someone else.

“I’m _still_ happy with Jack,” Mac said defensively.

“_And_ Nick…” James said sceptically.

“Yup, I’m happy with Nick too,” Mac replied, grabbing a fry and shoving it into his mouth just for something distracting to do. “Nick and Jack. They both make me happy.”

“But I feel like…” James trailed off, as though he were trying to figure out what to say. “Is this a sex thing? I mean Jack’s a bit older and is he having trouble-”

“Oh for the love of god please don’t finish that sentence,” Mac said loudly, probably disturbing the other people in the restaurant. Mac didn’t care, there was no way he wanted to hear his father’s train of thought on that. Mac closed his eyes and breathed deep, before he opened them again.

“Why can’t it just be about love, dad?” Mac asked.

“Because you can’t love more than one person,” James said matter-of-factly, before he added: “not like that,” then rolled his eyes and looked down at his lunch.

Mac sat for a moment trying to decide if he wanted to fight with his father in the middle of James’ favourite diner. If he wanted to fight at all. Or was he just resigned to his dad being a stupid, ignorant jerk, who would never understand him?

“If you’re not even going to try to understand, then I’m leaving,” Mac said simply. “I’m done trying to justify my life to you. I don’t need or want your approval ok?” Mac stood up.

“Please Angus,” James scoffed, “you’re making a scene. Sit down.”

Mac stayed standing. “If at any point you want to talk about this without being a total dick, you know where to find me, and Jack and Nick,” he said. He flipped open his wallet, pulled out enough for his own lunch plus a generous tip, left it on the table and walked out.


	7. Nick and Mac and Jack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mac comes home from his lunch with his dad and he talks to Nick and Jack about his frustration.

Nick settled down on the couch next to Jack and passed him one of the beers he’d brought from the kitchen. He snuck his arm around Jack’s shoulders and they shifted even closer, letting the couch cushions sink and push them together.

It was Friday, and Nick should have been at work, but by some miracle Jack had worked his magic with Matty and gotten them the afternoon off to catch the baseball game: Rangers at the Astros. Both Texas teams butting heads. Jack was routing for the Rangers, Nick for the Astros. With Mac out for lunch with his dad for the next few hours, Nick was looking forward to relaxing and watching some baseball with Jack. Mac had been converted to Jack’s team before Nick had come on the scene, and it was nice not to be outnumbered for once.

Nick was about halfway through his beer when they heard the revving of the Jeep’s engine outside. The front door flew open shortly after and Mac stormed into the room, his face bright red.

“My dad is an absolute fucking asshole!” Mac said before he stormed out onto the deck. It was strange hearing Mac swear, he didn’t do it often.

“What in the hell-” Nick and Jack said at the same time.

They set their beers down and followed Mac outside. He stood at the railing, gripping it tight and looking out over the bright afternoon city. The sun lit him up and his hair glowed gold. Nick was reminded of just how lucky he was in that moment.

“What the hell did he say now?” Jack asked, breaking the quiet and walking over to stand next to Mac.

Mac’s hands tightened on the railing until everything below his wrist was bright white.

Nick followed to stand on Mac’s other side, leaning over, elbows on the rail.

“He asked about us,” Mac said, still staring outward and not meeting either of their gazes. “He wasn’t… he doesn’t…”

“Yeah, well we kinda saw that coming,” Jack’s voice was gruff and full of anger. He met Nick’s eye and his face softened a little.

They’d talked about James before, since Nick was technically working for the guy, but the details had been sparse. Jack had thrown around the word “asshole” a lot, and that was about it. His relationship with  
Mac had been boiled down to: Mac’s mom died, James left when Mac was 10.

Mac’s jaw was tight, the muscles working hard.

“But… we don’t care about that, right?” Nick asked. “I mean, I get that he’s your dad and all, but…”

Mac’s face flashed sorrow for a second and then he looked down at his hands. “Yeah, screw him,” he said half heartedly.

Nick understood immediately. How many times had his father shown disappointment in him? Leaving the prestigious Dallas PD to work as a CSI. And then leaving Texas altogether, walking away from his family. Nick was proud of his life, and yet his father still judged it as a failure. And he hadn’t even told his family about his relationship with Jack and Mac yet. And still, despite all of that, he craved his father’s approval. For god knew what reason he just wanted his father to be proud of him. It was something Jack could never understand. Jack Sr had always been so proud.

“But…” Nick ventured, drawing a glare from Jack. “He’s your dad. And maybe if you give him a little time, he’ll be more open to it. I mean, really when you think about it, it’s just like any science experiment. There’s always going to be some anomaly or something that doesn’t follow the trend. Just because everyone else has been really great about all of this, doesn’t mean we’re going to score 100%.”

Mac’s hands loosened from the rail, and blood started to return to them. Nick stood up and took Mac’s hands in his own, rubbing them lightly to help with the blood flow. Jack let the anger fade entirely, wrapped his arms around Mac’s middle and put his chin on Mac’s shoulder.

“He’s never going to come around,” Mac grumbled.

“Well then, we’ve still got each other, right?” Jack asked. “Sides, Nicky’s right. Everybody else has been way too cool about all this. I was startin’ to get mighty nervous.”

“At least it wasn’t Riley or Bozer,” Nick shrugged.

Mac smiled a little. “Yeah, nobody really… important,” he said, his blue eyes glazing over with sadness, his mouth turning back down.

Nick let Mac’s hands drop, and Jack stepped back, but kept a hand on Mac, guiding him over toward the fire pit. “You should’a heard Matty dude,” Jack started with his storytelling voice, “goin’ on about my two geniuses blowing our house up.”

Mac laughed, and tried to subtly wipe away a tear that slipped down his cheek.

“Jill was just mad that we lied to her,” Nick said. “She didn’t care about anything else.”

They all sat down around the unlit fire pit and looked out at the blue sky. It was warm, but Jack and Nick got close on either side, surrounding Mac with love and comfort.

Jack ducked his head for a second. Now that his anger faded, he was getting sentimental, and he looked up at them, unashamed, with tears in his eyes. “Riley just wanted to know we were happy. That _I_ was happy.”

“And?” Nick asked jokingly, jostling Mac, who in turn jostled Jack.

“Not with a knucklehead like you around!” Jack joked, reaching around Mac to wrestle with Nick.

By the time Mac broke them apart, he was laughing full-on belly laughs, his mouth wide open.

Jack fell back onto the deck, his chest heaving a little, but just for show. Nick knew he wasn’t out of breath, it would take more than a little horseplay to get Delta Jack Dalton out of breath.

“I am, you know?” Jack looked up at the two of them with a grin. “Happy. Like, so happy it hurts some days. You know?”

“I do,” Nick answered immediately.

“Well ain’t that all that matters, then?” Jack asked, twining his fingers under his head and closing his eyes; his whole posture and body language spoke contentment.

“Yeah,” Mac said with a smile. “That’s all that matters.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOOOO! I FORGOT TO SAY:
> 
> If anybody has any requests for any more conversations like this LET ME KNOW!!! Cause it was really fun to write these little ficlets and I have NO problem adding some bonus requests to this!


	8. BONUS - Mac and Riley and the Shovel Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BONUS CHAPTER
> 
> By popular request: THE FIRST SHOVEL TALK!
> 
> Riley comes to Mac with her concerns about Mac and Jack's relationship. 
> 
> This fits into the Mac + Jack + Nick verse... but it's before Nick was on the scene... when Jack and Mac originally started dating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS ONE GOES OUT TO YOU RAI!!!!!!
> 
> Because you keep sending me prompts... and my ideas for them get out of hand and I don't have ANY of them finished for posting yet!!!
> 
> This one is for your darling! Because I think you were the first to request these talks via comment. ENJOY!!

Mac’s phone barked at him (literally), and the sound jolted him awake. It was the text alert Jack had wanted, and Mac agreed that it suited him best. So a barking dog heralded every message from Jack.

Mac sat up in bed, not even upset at being woken up, because it was Jack. And Jack meant a little something more to him than he had before. Not much more, if Mac really thought about it, because all the important stuff had come before. But now they shared everything: jokes, trust, life and death situations, touches, beds. And it was better than Mac ever imagined.

Jack’s text was all unnecessary emojis, lots of hearts making an appearance. He followed it up with:

_ **Bozer asked for a favour. Be a little late. Onion bagel?** _

Mac wiped the sleep from his eyes and replied: _**Sounds great.**_

Jack came back quick: _**Not for me. I’ll be tasting onion all day. ;) **_

Mac set the phone down, or they’d be back and forth all day and Bozer would never get that favour.

He dressed slowly, with time to kill waiting for Jack, and was sitting on the deck with a cup of coffee when the doorbell rang, followed by a stiff knock.

Jack didn’t knock. Jack had a key.

Mac opened the door slowly, and found Riley standing on the other side wringing her hands.

“Hey Riles,” he greeted, stepping aside. “What’s up?”

Riley clenched her jaw with determination and walked with firm and careful steps into the house.

“Can I get you something?” Mac asked. “Coffee, water…”

Riley’s hands were still tangled together. “Mac, I need to talk to you.”

“Did I…” He frowned. “Is there something wrong?”

Her lips moved like she was chewing on the inside of her cheek while she decided if there was something wrong or not, her eyebrows twisted in confusion. “Not yet… maybe…”

“Ok, ok,” Mac tried his best soothing voice, but he sounded a bit panicked. Obviously there was something wrong, and he would help her fix it. “Come on, let’s go sit down.” He brought her into the living room; comforting soft couch and warm morning sunlight hopefully the perfect combination to help soothe whatever was going on with her.

They sat down on the couch for only a second, before Riley stood up and started pacing in front of him.

“Riley seriously,” he huffed, setting down his cup on the coffee table, “you’ve gotta tell me what’s going on.”

She stopped, and looked him straight in the eye, and he couldn’t read every emotion that went through her in that moment. It was a tumult.

“Listen Mac,” she started, carefully, like she was overthinking every word. “We’re friends, you know that right?”

Mac nodded.

“And I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, you know that too right?”

“Yeah, of course I-”

“Nope!” She cut him off, still looking nervous. “I’ve gotta get this out." And then she plowed on ahead. "I’m just saying. We’re like, family, you and me. But I’ve known Jack a lot longer. And he means a lot to me. I mean, don’t tell him I said it or anything, but I really love the guy, you know?”

Mac just nodded again. “Ok…”

“And… well… what I’m trying to say is that…” And here she seemed to finally find her footing and her face went cold, her eyes dark. Very similar to the way Jack’s eyes went during interrogation. “If you hurt Jack, I will absolutely ruin you. You know that right? We’re talking, crashed bank accounts, identity sold on the dark net. I won’t hold back, ok?”

It was weird to be on the receiving end of one of his team’s interrogation faces and he blanched a little, felt his skin go clammy.

“Riley, I promise I’m not going to-”

“Well you know, people make promises all the time,” she said, and a little bitterness snuck into her voice, “and they don’t keep them Mac. So I just want to make sure that you’re serious and…" She faltered a little and her voice changed to sad and pleading. "Jack doesn’t need someone else to leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere Riley,” Mac said, standing up. “No promises, no swearing on anything… it’s just a fact.” He walked up to Riley and put his hands on her shoulders. She was so tense, shoulders hard like marble under her leather jacket. “I’ve known Jack for a long time, you know? This isn’t just some fling we jumped into. It’s sort of a big deal.”

Riley nodded her head sharply, as though Mac’s words were a result of her little speech. “Well, alright then,” she said. “That’s that. And I’ll hold you to it.”

Mac’s phone barked again. He patted Riley on the shoulder before he pulled it from his pocket to check the message.

_ **Last chance. Onion or kissing. 1 or the other. Can’t have both. ** _

Mac smiled wide, and when he looked up Riley was watching him, her expression so soft he wanted to hug her. “Jack’s stopping for bagels. What kind do you want?”

“Everything with extra cream cheese,” she said.

Mac put in Riley’s order and added: _**Poppy seed and kisses.**_

And despite his aversion to emojis, he added a heart eyes one just for Jack.

**Author's Note:**

> These aren't my favourite things I've ever written... and I didn't spend a TON of time on them.
> 
> But I haven't been writing much and I just wanted to jump back in and finish something... if that makes sense.


End file.
